A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electric shaver and more specifically to a comb assembly for attachment to the head of an electric dry shaver provided with a number of comb panel sections which are separately fabricated from stock materials of predetermined different thicknesses and assembled to form an accurate and smoothly interfitting comb assembly. The comb panels are secured to and retained by a ribbed comb support structure and the comb assembly is attached along the center of the head of the shaver by the interfitting of a latch member attached to the comb support structure and a comb catch slidably disposed in the shaving head.
B. Description of the Prior Art
In the electric dry shaver field there are many types of shaving heads provided with the perforated comb structures to form shearing elements with oscillating or movable cutter assemblies.
For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,791,030 which issued to Jackson et al. on Feb. 12, 1974; 3,590,482 which issued to F. L. Carr on July 6, 1971 and 3,401,453 which issued to C. L. Bauer on Sept. 17, 1968 describe a shaving head comb assembly of this general type.
The perforated comb members in this type of electric dry shaver are relatively thin, flexible members which are engaged on their undersides in a shearing relationship by moving cutter assemblies. Due to the flexible nature of the perforated comb members and a necessity for an accurate relationship between the perforated comb surface and the cutter assemblies, commonly the perforated comb is supported by a ribbed support structure.
Further, to provide a close efficient shave, the perforated comb member is substantially thinner throughout a central portion and of a relatively greater thickness along the outer portions of the comb to avoid skin irritation along these portions while providing a good close shave throughout the central portion.
Commonly, the perforated comb member has been fabricated from a single piece of material and a separate grinding operation performed on the top surface of the central portion of the comb to achieve the desired thickness. The separate operation increases the manufacturing cost of the comb assembly.
In addition, mass production grinding results in a non-uniform comb thickness which presents inherent difficulty in achieving the optimum thin uniform thickness of the central portion of the comb which is critical to achieving the best possible shaving conditions, avoiding skin irritation and the prevention of early failures of the relatively flexible and thin comb member.
The assembled relationship of the comb assembly to the heat of the shaver is also important and difficult to control consistently due to the typical configuration of shavers in the prior art wherein the comb assembly is hinged along one side of the shaving head to allow cleaning and removal of various parts. Variations in the dimensional relationship of the comb assembly to the shaver head and the respective cutter blade arrangement results in unduly long lapping operations to conform the cutter blades to the comb assembly. Further, variations in the shearing relationship result whenever the comb assembly is moved from the shaving position for cleaning.